Dangerous Embrace

CHAPTER 3

THE RAIN had been falling for almost an hour. Nagmamadaling naglalakad si Isabelle sa may sidewalk habang may hawak na paper bag. The small paper bag was over her head in a desperate attempt to protect herself from getting completely soaked.

Pero hindi na ‘yon umubra pa dahil basa na ang kaniyang damit. Her shoes were making an unpleasant squishing sound with every step.

And the last bus had just passed.

“Great,” she murmured.

Tumigil siya sa tapat ng isang nakasarang convenience store at napabuntong-hininga na lamang.

Today had already been terrible.

She had worked a double shift at the bakery because one of the employees called in sick. Tumawag pa ang kaniyang ina na kailangan niyang bayaran ang nabasag niyang base.

Her phone vibrated.

She pulled it from her pocket.

It was her mother.

Napatitig siya sa screen ng kaniyang lumang cellphone bago siya nagdesisyon na sagutin ang tawag.

“Hello?”

“Where are you?”

“On my way home, Mom.”

“Huwag ka munang umuwi.”

Isabelle frowned. “Bakit po?”

“Sabrina invited her friends over.”

“So?”

Her mother’s voice immediately became irritated. “Your father doesn’t want you embarrassing your sister.”

Isabelle’s fingers tightened around her phone. “I won’t.”

“Diyan ka na lang kung nasaan ka man hanggang sa umuwi sila.”

“Mom, umuulan po at—”

The call ended.

Ibinaba ni Isabelle ang kaniyang cellphone. She stared at the dark screen. Her mother didn’t even give her the chance to explain. Not even a little concern about where she would spend the night.

She quite laughed.

It wasn’t funny, but if she didn’t laugh, she might cry.

“Fine,” she said to herself.

Umalis siya sa kaniyang kinasisilungan. Maybe she could stay at Hazel’s place.

Nagsimula siyang maglakad habang nakatungo ang kaniyang ulo. She was so distracted that she didn’t notice the man standing in front of her holding an umbrella.

She collided with the man.

Pakiramdam ni Isabelle, para siyang bumangga sa isang pader. Mabuti na lamang at mabilis siyang hawakan ng nakabangga niya bago pa man siya matumba.

“I’m sorry,” mabilis na wika ni Isabelle habang nakatungo pa rin ang kaniyang ulo.

Binitawan siya ng lalaki, kaya nakaatras siya palayo rito.

The man didn’t speak, so she looked up, expecting a harsh word from him, but Isabelle felt like the world slowed down when she saw the man in front of him. The first thing she noticed was his suit that was tailored perfectly and looked expensive.

Sunod niyang napansin ang suot nitong relo.

Hindi niya alam kung anong brand ito, pero alam niyang mamahalin.

Then she looked at his face. The man was handsome with sharp features, dark eyes, and a calm expression that made him look almost intimidating. He looked like the kind of man who belonged in a luxury hotel instead of a rain-soaked sidewalk.

Isabelle immediately became cautious.

Rich man.

Dahil sa kaniyang mga nakikita, rich men were never as kind as they appeared.

“Are you okay?” tanong ng lalaki.

Tumango si Isabelle.

“You should be more careful next time.” Kalmado nitong sabi.

Muling tumango si Isabelle.

She stepped backward, not caring if she would get soaked by the rain. Basa na rin naman siya.

Kapagkuwan may napansin siya. Nakatitig sa kaniya ang lalaki. She felt uncomfortable. “Is there something wrong?”

“No.”

Isabelle glanced toward the street. Ayaw na niyang manatili pa doon, especially not with a wealthy stranger staring at her.

She walked away without uttering any words.

Nakailang hakbang pa lamang siya nang marinig niya itong nagsalita.

“Wait.”

Tumigil si Isabelle.

Lumapit sa kaniya ang lalaki, kaya umatras siya.

“Wala akong gagawing masama. I just want to shelter you from the rain,” sabi ng lalaki.

Hindi alam ni Isabelle, pero kusang tumigil ang kaniyang paa sa pag-atras kahit pa hindi siya sigurado kung mabuti ba itong tao o hindi.

“You’ll get sick. Take my umbrella.” The man offered.

“I’m used to it,” tugon naman ni Isabelle. At isa pa, ayaw niyang magkaroon ng utang na loob.

He looked at her as though he didn’t understand.

Before he could say anything else, a black luxury car stopped beside them.

Agad na lumabas ang driver na may hawak na payong.

“Sir.”

Sir?

So, he was definitely wealthy.

Her guard immediately went up. “I really have to go.”

“I’ll take you.”

Mabilis na umiling si Isabelle. Hindi niya ito kilala. He was kind to offer to take her home, but she didn’t trust him. Wala siyang makitang rason upang maging mabait sa kaniya ang lalaki. So, he was not up to anything good.

“Hindi na. I don’t get into cars with strangers.”

His expression remained unreadable. “That’s reasonable,” he said.

Aalis na sana si Isabelle, pero pinigilan siya ng lalaki.

“Hold this.”

Ipinahawak ng lalaki sa kaniya ang hawak niyang payong. Then he removed his coat.

At nagulat na lamang si Isabelle nang ipinatong ng lalaki sa kaniya ang coat nito.

“Get home safe.”

Bago pa man makapagsalita si Isabelle, tumalikod na ang lalaki saka mabilis itong sumakay sa sasakyan na nakaparada sa kanilang tabi.

Isabelle stared in disbelief.

The man rolled down the car’s window. “We’ll meet again.”

And then they left.

Napatingin naman si Isabelle sa suot na coat. Kahit papaano, nabawasan ang ginaw na kaniyang nararamdaman.

Hindi niya namalayan na sumilay ang isang ngiti sa kaniyang labi. A genuine smile that hadn’t shown before.

Then she walked toward the direction of Hazel’s house.

Mabilis ang t***k ng kaniyang puso. Hindi niya alam kung bakit. Maybe because the man had been staring at her. Or maybe because he was intimidating. Or maybe because, despite his expensive clothes and arrogant appearance, he hadn’t treated her badly.

Still… she knew better.

Rich men were dangerous.

That’s the fact and what she believed.

They had power, money, and connections.

While people like her had nothing.

Sa kaniyang mga karanasan, lalo na sa kaniyang magulang, natutunan niya na ang lahat ng bagay ay may kapalit.

Kaya naman nangako siya sa kaniyang sarili na hindi siya makikihalubilo sa mga mayayayamang tao.

Never.

But what she didn’t know was that the man she had just rejected was Elliot Amir Laurent Rios. She didn’t know that his family owned one of the most powerful business empires in the country. And she certainly didn’t know that the cold, indifferent man she had just dismissed as another rich stranger had never been this curious about a woman before.

But she cared none of those.

Because all she cared was to live well and get away from her family soon.

Ang hindi alam ni Isabelle, mula sa hindi kalayuan, nakasunod ang isang sasakyan sa kaniya.

Elliot looked at Isabelle.

“Sir, bakit hindi niyo na lang siya inaya na sumakay?”

“Ayaw niya.”

“You invited her, sir?”

Elliot nodded.

Nagulat si Noah at hindi makapaniwala. Women had been dying to get inside and sit beside Elliot Amir Laurent-Rios, but when his the one who invited… he got rejected?!

That was unbelievable. But it did happen. Noah thought.

Matagal na siyang assistant ni Elliot at kilala na niya ito. Umiiwas ito sa mga babae at hindi ito masyadong nakikihalubilo sa mga social gathering.

Elliot continued following Isabelle through the car to make sure she would get home safely.

Umalis na lamang sila ni Noah nang makita niyang pumasok si Isabelle sa isang bahay. Nakilala niya ang babaeng nagpapasok kay Isabelle sa bahay nito. It was the owner of the restaurant.

He left quickly after giving his coat to Isabelle because he didn’t want to push her through.

And she looked scared, kaya naman nagmamadali na siyang umalis dahil kapag nanatili pa siya doon, baka mas lalo itong matakot sa kaniya.

Elliot looked once more at the empty sidewalk.

For some unknown reason, he already wanted to see her again.